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Catherine DeVries

Catherine DeVries has written twenty books for children, including the bestselling "The Adventure Bible Storybook." As associate publisher of Children’s Resources at David C Cook, she leads product development for The Action Bible collection, which has sold over a million copies. Catherine lives with her husband, their three children, and their big furry dog in the Colorado forest.

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In this first book of the HeartSmart series, preschoolers are invited on a playdate with Emma. Together they learn the Lord’s Prayer and practice “teaching” it to Emma’s favorite teddy bear.

Introducing HeartSmart, a Scripture memory series designed to create opportunities for children to fill their heart with God’s Word. HeartSmart combines key Scriptures with songs, giving parents a spiritual formation path for building a strong foundation of faith.

The entire Lord’s Prayer is included, along with a custom song (free download with access code).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New book teaches preschoolers the Lord’s Prayer

Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer invites children to a day of play, prayer and song

9/10/2015 || Seattle: This fall, David C Cook is launching a new series for toddlers and preschoolers that combines word and song to help young children memorize scripture. The first book in the HeartSmart series, Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer (September 1, 2015/ISBN: 978-0781412698/$10.99) by bestselling author Catherine DeVries,not only introduces children to Bible memory, but teaches them about how to pray.

In this vibrant, colorful board book illustrated by Ryan Jackson, DeVries introduces Emma, a preschooler who welcomes readers at the front door and invites them in for a special playdate. Upstairs they meet Blueberry, Emma’s favorite teddy bear. The two show readers all the fun toys in Emma’s room before heading downstairs for snack time. As they sit down in the kitchen and get ready to pray before eating, Emma shares with readers she has been learning about the Lord’s Prayer.

Emma quotes each line of the prayer and explains every part in a way preschoolers can understand. As Emma’s mom taught her, children will learn “this whole world belongs to God. Everything we do is for God’s glory, which is like a big celebration that shows Him how amazing we think He is.” Children will then head back to Emma’s room, where they teach the Lord’s Prayer to Blueberry. The entire prayer appears at the back of this delightful book, along with an access code to a whimsical song that will help them learn it.

Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer and all the coming HeartSmart releases will offer parents the opportunity to infuse their homes with God’s Word. By using these charming books, moms and dads will be equipped with a clear spiritual formation path for building in their child a strong foundation of faith based on key Scriptures. Through engaging and playful stories about children their own age, young people will be captivated by the colorful illustrations and inspired to hide God’s Word in their hearts through repetition and song — two prescriptions for memorization.

About the Author

Catherine DeVries has written 20 books for children, including the bestselling The Adventure Bible Storybook. As associate publisher of Children’s Resources at David C Cook, she leads product development for The Action Bible collection, which has sold more than 1 million copies.

She is a graduate of Calvin College who has won Retailer’s Choice awards in 2000, 2009 and 2010, as well as a Gold Medallion award in 2008, among others. She also serves on the board of the Tween Gospel Alliance. Catherine lives with her husband, their three children and big furry dog in the Colorado forest.

Suggested interview questions

—Your new book, Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer,is the first installment in the new HeartSmart series for children. Can you tell us a little bit about the series?

—Why did you decide to use the Lord’s Prayer as the first passage of scripture in the series?

—Emma, the narrator of your story, could be compared to another little girl popular among pre-schoolers: Dora the Explorer. In what ways are they similar, and what makes Emma unique?

—Why did you choose to have Emma teach the Lord’s Prayer to her toy bear, Blueberry, instead of Emma learning it herself?

—At the end of the book there is a code to download a song that accompanies the book. Please tell us more about the song.

—How do songs help children learn scripture?

—Why is it important for our spiritual life and communication with God to understand the Lord’s Prayer?

—In what ways have you emphasized prayer in your own home while raising your children?

—Do you think parents place enough emphasis on their children’s spiritual formation?

—We’ve all heard — and perhaps even chuckled — at the cute prayers of little children. Do you think God hears and answers their prayers?

—Did you read a lot with your parents when you were little? What do you remember about those moments?

—What upcoming releases in the HeartSmart series can readers look forward to?

Catherine DeVries is available for interviews to promote the release of Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer. To request a review copy, schedule an interview or for more information, please contact Audra Jennings, audra@litfusegroup.com.

Let\'s Learn the Lord\'s Prayer

5

This is such a fun book, and we enjoyed with both kids in our home.

I don’t actually remember anyone sitting me down and teaching me the Lord’s Prayer growing up, but it is something I do know I learned at an early age. I know that I learned several different versions of it before I finally looked it up in the Bible and learned it correctly as well.

This book takes the confusion out of the process and makes it something fun for kids to do.

Let\'s Learn About the Lord\'s Prayer :: Book Review

5

As a Mom to a very active 2 1/2 year old boy book have to have big impact right from the start to get and keep C’s attention. Let’s face it: little boys aren’t known for being able to sit still for long. I love the unique way that this book incorporates scripture in a manner that allows for little ones to understand in real-life situations. For instance, four year old Emma learns: “Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.” She discovers this means she is to forgive friends in situations like a disagreement on the playground. Additionally, I enjoy that the book allows for reading involvement. Emma asks interactive questions, like how old they are and what their favorite food is so the child feels included in the story. This sturdy board book has fun and colorful illustrations that will grab the attention of young readers. Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer is the perfect solution to teaching your little one the Lord’s Prayer in a way he or she would understand.

Let’s Learn About The Lord’s Prayer

5

This book is a sweet book about a four-year old little girl named Emma and it takes you on a special journey learning the Lord’s Prayer. This series is for Preschoolers.
Let’s Learn About The Lord’s Prayer is part of a new series called HeartSmart Series .

Adventures in Reading: Let\'s Learn About the Lord\'s Prayer

4

As a former teacher, I am constantly on the look out for resources to add to our home library. I like books that are both fun to read and have some kind of educational aspect to them. Let’s Learn About the Lord’s Prayer does a good job at meeting this criteria.
The story is told by Emma, and takes readers on a play date.Emma goes through the prayer line by line – which I feel is very helpful in helping children understand what the prayer is about. The book ends with the whole prayer together. The book is a board book that is easy to hold and the pages are easy for small fingers to turn. The suggested age for the book is 2-4 years. While some of the vocabulary may be a bit over their heads.

Children\'s Book Review-Let\'s Learn About the Loose Screw

5.0

I was really impressed with Let’s Learn About the Lord’s Prayer. It is a beautiful board book, with shiny pages with bright illustrations that are eye-catching. Each page has just enough text to tell the story without being too much to lose little one’s interest. The character Emma is adorable, and my grandson loved the story.

From the cover of the book, we are welcomed by young Emma. Throughout the story, Emma becomes quick friends with the reader with her energetic and welcoming personality. As an adult, I was a little thrown off by this approach because of the title of the book, I expected to get right into teaching The Lord’s Prayer, but I actually found this approach engaging.

Ecouraging and Fun Way to Learn the Lord\'s Prayer

5

Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer by Catherine DeVries is a delightful book that invites preschoolers and beyond on a playdate adventure to learn the Lord’s Prayer. This new resource from David C. Cook is a fabulous and fun tool to help your preschooler learn the Lord’s prayer. We are huge fans of memorizing scripture in our home. My kids usually have a weekly memory verse they are working on for church, co-op and our homeschool. I love that this book just fits right in with our daily life. It is encouraging, loving and educational – my kind of book. I really love that the HeartSmart series is about filling children’s hearts with God’s Word and ultimately a greater love for Him.

The book is written in a great way–it tells the story of Emma, a little girl who is getting ready to eat her lunch. The reader (Charlie) gets to interact with Emma as she asks him some questions. Then, as she gets ready to eat, she tells Charlie her mom has been teaching her The Lord’s Prayer. So, Emma explains The Lord’s Prayer phrase by phrase in a way Charlie can understand. It’s also great for older children–and even adults–as it helps us better grasp how to truly teach The Lord’s Prayer to the children around us! You also have the opportunity to download a song that helps your child learn The Lord’s Prayer, too!

This book is promoted as the “first book of the HeartSmart series”. I look forward to purchasing the other books when they come out as well.

Book Review - Let\'s Learn About the Lord\'s Prayer by Catherine DeVries

4

As a former preschool teacher, I always think it is wonderful to find books that are a great read aloud. Let’s Learn About the Lord’s Prayer adapts well for reading aloud at home, in Sunday School, or in a preschool classroom. Emma asks readers interactive questions, like how old they are and what their favorite food is.

There is even a link provided to download a song that accompanies the prayer. The song, along with the prayer, provides a rich learning experience for young children.

This is a lovingly crafted book, and would make a wonderful addition to a library at home, church, or religious preschool.

The Lord\'s Prayer

4

Bright, colorful illustrations, easy to comprehend vocabulary, and a fun setting will make this book enjoyable for kids and provide a great learning environment. This book is the first book in a series of books designed to teach children about God and make Him personal to their lives.

Let\'s Learn About the Lord\'s Prayer by Catherine DeVries {Children\'s Book Review}

4

When trying to teach your child about God, prayer is always one of those areas that are at the top of the list. There are so many ways to engage your son or daughter in prayer. One fun way to do so is through reading books. I was recently introduced to a new children’s book, Let’s Learn About the Lord’s Prayer, which actually does just that.

Let\'s Learn about the Lord\'s Prayer: A Book Review and Blog Tour

How are we to use these model of prayer that Christ gave us all if we don’t really get what it means? I believe it is important even for young kids- not just to memorize these words, but to live them. So, I was thrilled to discover that there was a new book that would teach them just that- Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer!

My daughter requests each night that I read her Let’s Learn About The Lord’s Prayer by Catherine DeVries. She loves answering the questions that Emma, the main character (a 4 year old) asks, and is really learning how to independently say the Lord’s Prayer. This is a fun, interactive read for young children, and the pictures are very engaging for them as well. They learn, with appropriate description, about the Lord’s Prayer and why it is important. My daughter is in preschool, and they are learning the Lord’s Prayer, so this book is a wonderful way for us to reinforce her learning here at home. It’s adorable when she walks around the house repeating snippets that she remembers. I highly recommend this book for the little ones in your life!

The Lord\'s Prayer (Book Review)

3/5

The book itself is very sturdy (board book) and the pictures are bright and fun to look at. The story line is simple enough for kids to easily follow and the theology is on point as the Lord’s prayer is explained. Everything about the book seemed to be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, when tested on real live kids, they didn’t seem to go for it. This certainly isn’t the first prayer or Bible based book we’ve read with the kids. They love the Bibles we read during nap time devotionals, but they just didn’t seem to get into this book. I’m not sure if it was because the story line was slightly jilted as the prayer was explained or if it just wasn’t a good fit for their age.

Let\'s Learn About the Lord\'s Prayer by Catherine DeVries {Litfuse Book Tour}

5

I am glad that there is a series like this for my daughter to learn scripture memory at home! This board book is right on her level and very easy for her to understand. Emma talks to your child from the beginning as if she is right there on a play date with them.

It’s also a good length to read before bed at night. Not only can she learn the prayer, but also the meaning behind it (there are some large words in there for a four year old to understand). The pictures are inviting and my preschooler thought it was neat that Emma teachers her teddy bear. AK has several favorite “stuffies” and talks to them all the time too!

AK also likes to listen to the song that we downloaded to go along with the book. It has an adult singing as well as a child and reinforces memorization.

My daughter and I love this little story book! I love how it opens up like a play date, with Emma interacting with the reader/children listening. Told in a way that young children can understand, I like how this book can be used to introduce kids to the Lord’s prayer! If you are looking for a resource to help teach little ones how to talk to God, then I think this is a book to check out! The illustrations are sweet and the little girl in the book is bound to be a favorite with the little people in your life.
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Adorable!

4

Overall, this book was pretty cute. It is recommended for children between the ages of 2-4 years, which I think is probably accurate. I do think that it might be written a bit too baby-ish for certain 4 year olds, so parents will want to take that into consideration. It would be perfect for younger toddlers and a Mini Church Sunday School Class for toddlers.

This is a nice sized board book, sturdy for little hands, with nice colorful pictures for you to look at and discuss with your young child. It’s really perfect for the 4 to 5 year old set. They haven’t outgrown chunky board books, and they are big enough to discuss the concepts in the book. Both my four and five year olds enjoy the book quite a bit and we’ve read it together several times. It’s a great springboard for the Lord’s Prayer and for discussing the concepts contained within those verses. The also enjoy listening to the song, and I’ve played it several times as they’ve had playtime.

Teaching the Lord\'s Prayer to preschoolers

5/5

I really really love this book, and so does my 2.5 yr old son! Not only does it get kids excited about the Lord’s prayer, but also the book asks questions of the readers. Everytime I get to the page that says, “what’s your favorite food?” My son smiles and says…peabutter sanwiches and juce n gapes. (translation: PB&J sandwiches, juice and grapes) Without fail! He loves responding to Emma’s questions. It’s interactive. We don’t have many books that ask questions of the readers so this was really neat for us. My son is also obsessed with blueberry bear. He looks for him on the pages and points him out to me everytime we read it. The first night we read it 3 or 4 times and he repeated the lords prayer after me each time. He has asked for this book every night since! Thumbs UP!!!

Teach your Preschooler the Lord’s Prayer with Emma’s help!

5

Before getting this book I hadn’t really thought yet about teaching my kids The Lord’s Prayer. They are seven, six and one and it always seemed like something for when they got older. I think part of it was intimidation in teaching them something so deep and part of it was just not knowing how. Catherine DeVries helps out with both in her new book Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer with artwork by Ryan Jackson.

I immediately adored the illustrations and could see why Ryan Jackson is quickly growing in popularity. They just have that classic feel from hen I was young but still appeal to kids now and today.

The second thing that jumped out at me was the amount of questions that were asked. I almost auto pilot read them without noticing until my six year old daughter answered th